Amazing times
The last few weeks have been amazing.
Had a great time at Conestoga 14 hanging out with Michele Bardsley She put up a fantastic blog that was -as it should be- all about me. Well, not all about me, but a bunch about me, and a not too horrible photo of me. She also put in a nice plug for the Bubbas of the Apocolypse books from Yard Dog Press.
Michele, Kristi and I went to Applebee’s for lunch on Sat and had the best Mango Sangria ever. Will be going back for that.
Michele is the best. Love her. Love hanging with her. Love her books.
Shared a room with Yard Dog Press’ Selina Rosen & Lynn Stranathan and Tyrie. They were excellent roomies. Selina never ceases to amaze me. She knows more about Kabbalah than I would have ever imagined she would have had enough time to learn, considering how busy she is. Very interesting and educational.
Selina made me read on the Yard Dog Panel. I didn’t mind at all, seeing as how I’m an exhibitionist by nature. But I wasn’t scheduled to be on the panel, so I was completely unprepared. I followed William R. Eakin reading from Redgunk Tales from the Kudzu. A word to the wise. Never follow Bill when reading on a panel. He blew me away. He read Lawnmower Moe so brilliantly that I was ashamed to call myself a writer in his presence.
The following weekend at Oklahoma Writers’ Federation Inc 2010 Conference I spent a lot of time in the bar with Cherry Weiner. She seemed very interested in seeing Emmen Seed as soon as it is finished.
I hadn’t pitched it to anyone yet, because it isn’t finished. If it were done, I would have probably already pitched it to Yard Dog Press. Still will if Selina is interested.
A lot of great speakers at OWFI this year.
K.D. Wentworth graced my banquet table Friday and Sat night. I’ve known Kathy for years and was very glad to see her at OWFI. She’s the coordinator for Conestoga and the first line of judging for Writers & Illustrators of the Future Contests. Just a hint to contestants. She doesn’t like Elves.
Deborah LeBlanc joined us at our table on Sat. night. She does a ton of scary stuff for a living. Not to mention she is one of the most expressive and energetic speakers I know. I could listen to her talk about all the exciting things she does, besides writing books, for days. Her books are eerie, but not as eerie as her real life activities.
Of course my minions Dion Mayes and Lisa (what’s her name) Willis were at the table both nights and also shared a room with me. It was like a week-end long slumber party.
We had a couple of new people at the table Friday night. Including K.D. Wentworth’s shepherd Richard. But were joined by more minions on Sat. night. D’s husband Bird, Tom Barczak and his lovely wife Kayla, and Wizard Wayne Wyrick.
My boys Adrian Simmons, Neil Mavis, and Lance Hawvermale didn’t make it this year. Can’t imagine what could have been more important to them than seeing me, or attending OWFI. Neil gets a free pass. His wife just had a baby about 5 weeks before the conference.
I met some wonderful people at the conference. Especially Cherry Weiner, Josh Getzler,Terry Burns, Kelly James-Enger, and Nancy Robinson Masters.
Nancy Robinson Masters reminded me a lot of me. Instantly liked her. I think she’s my kind of person.
Spent this past weekend at ConDome. It’s an annual event for Yard Dog Press authors held at Selina Rosen and Lynn Stranathan’s house. This was my first year.
Their house is beautiful, amazing, and awesome. There are castles, fabulous floors, cabinets, and unbelievable artwork that Selina has made with her own two hands. Their house is a showplace. I didn’t want to leave. I wanna move in.
It was more fun than a barrel of Yard Dogs. Actually it was a barrel of Yard Dogs and goats and a really large, obnoxiously dangerous looking snake. Oh my.
Selina made me stand guard while she went for a shovel to kill it. She said if someone didn’t stand guard it would slither away as soon as she moved. I told her that if it moved I was gone. But I was a brave little dog and guarded the evil venomous viper, all alone, while Selina abandoned me. Thankfully she came back and rescued me before I fainted and was eaten alive.
Selina is an excellent cook and made some of the best baked beans I’ve ever eaten. Got to hang with three more of my favorite folks Bill and Sally Allen and Sherry Dean. There were so many talented people there, Tracy Morris, Dusty Rainbolt and her husband Weems -a phenomenal photographer, Zane and his wife Joy, Pop, Audrie, John, and everyone else I’m leaving out. But y’all know who you are and that I really enjoyed spending time with you.
Can’t wait for next year. Wanna see the progress on the castle, and the house. Also wanna spend more quality time with the Dogs.
Hoping to see a bunch of Yard Dogs at SoonerCon June 4th-6th in OKC. There will be Zombies and Yumbies and Bubbas, Oh my!
Y’all come. It’s the best time you can have with your clothes on. And there will be some folks there that will be having fun without most of their clothes on. The costumes are as far out there as a galaxy far far away. Hope there are Storm Troupers, Fedies, and Klingons. Oh my.
later
vck
